Summoning Our Country - NHS Kai

Chapter 29: I Give You Justice!

Discord: https://discord.gg/wEp44XuaT3

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Cent. Calendar 20/12/1639, Royal Castle, Le Brias, Altaras, 14:20

"Greetings, all!"

King Taara XIV, the undisputed king, and sovereign of the kingdom of Altaras, stepped out of the recesses from behind his throne and emerged into the grandiose opulence of the royal castle's foyer-like throne room. Whether or not his usual jolly disposition when receiving guests compensated for the lack of fanfare and the entourage of royal guardsmen blasting the trumpets at his appearance was anyone's guess. At the very least, though, one could easily tell that the so-called "guests" he was receiving were not at all pleased. Underneath the great shower of lights emanating from the windows that lined both sides of the throne room was a group of people in various dresses, often with a variation that evoked a feeling similar to a Halloween party. In this sense, however, their stern, stone-faced expressions were perhaps a bit scarier to look at–but that was not where their similarities ended: all of them were the representatives of a nation that had interests in the Altaras Strait and carried with them a certain pressing concern.

"If you could allow me to greet you all individually..."

Taara chuckled as he descended the steps leading from his throne, but with each step he took, the more his sweat entered his garments from his neck. He may have been a bit out of line with some of his actions as of late–he inwardly (and begrudgingly) admits–and he was smart enough to at least understand why this coalition of diplomats was giving him such piercing stares.

"I believe that that won't be necessary, Taara."

Standing in front of the coalition as if taking the mantle of leader, the Muish ambassador to the kingdom, Smithson, made awfully clear in his tone–and in his usage of the king's personal name–that he was going to match Taara's lighthearted disposition.

"I don't follow–"

"Well, then, let me be straight."

He was no-nonsense, too, cutting off the king in a clear-cut display of both sobriety and dominance. Uninterested as it is in involving itself too much in the east out of fear of escalating tensions with the Imperial Mirishials, the Muish realm was nevertheless going to exercise its command, something which even Taara was keenly wary of.

"Your decision to embark on a foolish errand to persuade the Siosans to accept your demands under the threat of naval bombardment is a blatant violation of the Asheran Charter, and we will have to remind you of the consequences."

While adjusting his spectacles, Smithson made sure not to allow the king, who had overstepped his bounds, time to even speak.

"Effective immediately, we're suspending the kingdom of Altaras from its participation in the Foreign Military Assistance Program indefinitely. The government of Mu would only lift the suspension under the condition that the kingdom of Altaras is to withdraw all of its forces from the state of Sios."

A shock ran through the aging muscles of Taara–almost as if he had just been struck by a lightning bolt. The Foreign Military Assistance Program is a program opened by the government of Mu to provide aid in the form of surplus weaponry and equipment leftover from earlier wars to friendly countries, which are usually technologically challenged. Thanks to participation in this program, they were able to get their hands on advanced Muish small arms, which are a huge step up from earlier home-developed weaponry. The ambassadors from the other nations, upon hearing the thunderous statement coming from the mouth of the Muish ambassador, also shook in shock and disbelief. If they were in Altaras's shoes, such an exclusion would have meant diplomatic isolation, certain loss in arms races with neighboring competitors, and the high likelihood of losing favor with the other Asheran great powers.